Envelop



, (No Modem A. MQOANOE. ENVELOPE Nb, 570,289. Patented 00c. 27, 1896.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE;

ALEXANDER MCOANCE, OF VIIITE ASH, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELO P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,289, dated October27, 1896'.

' Application filed January 14, 1896. Serial No. 575,428. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER MCOANCE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at White Ash, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEnvelops, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inenvelops in general, and relates particularly to that class known assafety-envelops, and which cannot be opened without detection.

The invention has for its object the construction of an envelop of theabove-described class whereby the envelop may be employed for thesending of money, checks, or other valuables, and the likelihood of thesame being tampered with is lessened by reason of the detection beingmade possible.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelop of theabove-described class that will be extremely simple in its construction,strong, durable, effectual in its operation, and comparativelyinexpensive to manufacture.

With the above and other objects in View the invention finally consistsin the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to behereinafter more particularly described, and specifically pointed out inthe claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,and whereinlike letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews,in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved envelop beforebeing folded. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the first fold in formingthe envelop. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are side elevations showing the differentfolds necessary to form the envelop.

In the drawings, a represents the front portion of the envelop, and bthe back portion of the same. On the back are provided wings c 0, one ofwhich is gummed at the tip, as shown at cl, and on the other side thesaid wings are gummed around the top and sides, as shown at e e e inFig. 2 of the drawings.

The front portion a is provided with flaps ff, which are gummed on oneside, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and this por-.

tion is also provided with slits g 9 near the flaps, which forms a flaph, which is also gummed on the same side as the flaps f f. On the top ofthe back portion is provided the tongue or flap 2', ordinarily employedfor sealing the envelop, which in my construction is plain instead ofgummed on one side and is sealed as explained hereinafter in thedescription.

The manner of folding my improved envelop is as follows: When theenvelop has been formed and gummed in the manner shown and described,the wings c c are folded together, and the gummed tip of the one wingadheres to the other wing, forming the first fold. The envelop is thendoubled in the manner shown in Fig. 3 and the flap h is bent downward inthe manner shown in Fig. 5. The flaps ff are folded over and sealed onthe back portion of the envelop, and it is then ready to receive thecontents. When the letter or other matter has been placed in theenvelop, the tongue 41 is folded down and the flap it, having beenpreviously moistened, is folded over the tongue and adheres to the sameand to the gummed portions e e of the wings c c. The tongue 2' whenfolded down will also adhere to these gummed portions (2 e, as will bereadily apparent by reference to Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings.

By this construction of an envelop it will be noted that the tongue 2'is sealed 011 both sides and also to the Wings 0 c, and when the flap his folded there will be two thicknesses of paper between the inner sealand the outside of the envelop, which will make it practicallyimpossible to open the same by steamin g, as even should the outer sealbe loosened the steam will not affect the inner seal.

To afford an additional protection, the stamp is placed partly on thebody portion of the envelop and partly on the tongue 1', as will bereadily apparent. The flap h is also provided with perforations lo 70,which will make the flap much more sensitive, and should there be anytampering with same would show detection quicker, as the flap wouldeasily tear, but would not permit the person tampering with the envelopto get at the contents, as the other portion would still be sealed.

Another point to which I wish to call particular attention is that theaddress, seal, and stamp all being on the same side the e11- velop willnot be liable to be mailed without being sealed, as the omission to sealwould likely be detected before mailing the letter, and even should itnot be sealed the stamp would form a seal for the same.

Another advantage in my construction resides in the fact that itobviates the necessity of turning the envelop over after addressing thesame to seal, or vice versa, as is required in the ordinaryconstruction, and another advantage is in the additional fold or seal onthe ends of the envelop, as will be readily apparent.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details ofconstruction Without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

To facilitate the opening of the envelop, I have provided a string j,which extends a short distance above the top of the envelop when thesame is folded. This string is fastened in the end of the envelop, andwhen desired to open a pull on the string will out the end of theenvelop and allowing the removal of the contents.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a safety-envelop, consisting of the front and back portions, Wingson the back portions, and flaps 011 the front portion, said frontportion having slits forming a flap provided with perforations, all ofsaid flaps being gummed on the same side, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In an envelop, consisting of the front and back portions, wingsarranged on the back portion, and flaps on the front portion, one ofsaid wings having a gunnned tip, and being gumined on the reverse side,slits in the front portion forming a flap said flap being perforated,the perforated flap and the end flaps being gunimed on the same side,and a tongue on the top of the back portion, all parts being arranged,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER MCCAXCE.

IVitnesses ALFRED M. WILsoN, H. E. SEIBERT.

